College and Research Libraries By J O H N VAN E R D E The Library and the Researcher EV E R Y J U N E t h r o u g h o u t the U n i t e d States, institutions of l e a r n i n g a d m i t thousands of m e n a n d w o m e n to the so- ciety of previously successful candidates f o r one academic degree or a n o t h e r . T h e r e are b u t few degree-holders w h o r e m e m b e r any m o r e of the f o r m u l a used by the presiding official to confer the degree t h a n "By a u t h o r i t y delegated to m e — a n d the rights a n d privileges—." A m i d the joyous flush of achievement, the words "rights a n d privileges" b l e n d pleasantly into the festive occasion. U n d e r the best circumstances, the m i n d of the r e c i p i e n t of the B.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., M.D., Ph.D. or whatever degree, has been rigorously t r a i n e d to precision, analysis, a n d s u s p i c i o n — n a t u r a l enemies of such vagueness as is c o n t a i n e d in the "rights a n d privileges" clause. A n d yet this phrase is listened to at c o m m e n c e m e n t a f t e r c o m m e n c e m e n t w i t h an u n d e r s t a n d a b l e a n d g o o d - n a t u r e d feel- ing t h a t the g r a d u a t e may look forward to p e r h a p s numberless benefits t h a t need n o t be immediately identified. It is al- ways to be h o p e d t h a t m a n y g r a d u a t e s c o m p r e h e n d shortly a f t e r the J u n e exer- cises that the above m e n t i o n e d rights a n d privileges are n o t m e a n t to have a r i n g of the f u t u r e a b o u t them, being in fact things already a c q u i r e d . Doubtless a n u m b e r of these m e n a n d w o m e n come to realize this even b e f o r e g r a d u a t i o n . T h e rights a n d privileges i n h e r e n t in an e d u c a t i o n are too m a n y a n d well k n o w n to list here. It is, however, a p p r o p r i a t e to r e m a r k t h a t in college teaching the Ph.D. degree is becoming practically a m i n i m u m r e q u i r e m e n t in the U.S.A. T h i s m e a n s t h a t all over the country Dr. Van Erde is Assistant Professor of La?iguages, University of Rhode Island. there is an increasing n u m b e r of teachers w h o have been t h r o u g h the research dis- cipline r e q u i r e d to write a doctoral thesis. M o r e i m p o r t a n t , for the thesis is usually a very p r e l i m i n a r y step in the researcher's career, the f o r t u n a t e a m o n g these teachers have lived f o r at least three years in an a t m o s p h e r e of dedica- tion to research. T h e y have seen their professors going quietly a b o u t the under- taking of scholarly investigation a n d b r i n g i n g the results i n t o the classroom. T h e y have really been a p a r t of the com- m u n i t y of scholars (this alone suffices to justify a residence recjuirement). H e r e p e r h a p s is the most i m p o r t a n t privilege to come w i t h the doctorate. T h i s writer has h e a r d Professor Leo Spitzer, the i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y f a m e d philol- ogist, e x p l a i n the existence of the His- tory of Ideas C l u b at J o h n s H o p k i n s University as an o p p o r t u n i t y for the periodic r e u n i o n of the c o m m u n i t y of scholars on t h a t campus. Of course, any such g r o u p comprises a local c h a p t e r of a world-wide organization. T h e m e m b e r s of this organization have in c o m m o n the curiosity t h a t spurs the m i n d to research. If, as Voltaire has suggested, the f r e e d o m to read books of one's choosing is the privilege of M a n , the f r e e d o m to con- duct research w o u l d seem to be the privi- lege of those w h o have been specially t r a i n e d to do it. T h e exercise of this f r e e d o m is n o t a u t o m a t i c . I n this connection one thinks first of the reckless charges that have been h u r l e d in some q u a r t e r s in the n a m e of n a t i o n a l security at certain members of university faculties. B u t there is a n o t h e r restraint, which, a l t h o u g h n o t vicious by n a t u r e , can be paralyzing in its effect on research, a n d this is the unavailability of free library facilities. 104 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES T h e writer can recall r e t u r n i n g to the university, f r o m which he holds B.A. a n d M.A. degrees, while w r i t i n g a doctoral thesis. H e needed to use the li- brary of t h a t i m p o r t a n t i n s t i t u t i o n to h e l p h i m in his research. I t was r a t h e r a shock to be told t h a t if it was desired to use the stacks a n d b o r r o w books f o r m o r e t h a n a few days, a charge w o u l d be made. M o r e recently a n o t h e r great university at which the writer h a d once been a g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t a n d a g r a d u a t e assistant o n the teaching staff, charged ten dollars to g r a n t b o r r o w i n g a n d stack privileges for six m o n t h s . I n a n o t h e r case, a large university has w i t h d r a w n b o r r o w i n g privileges f r o m the faculty m e m b e r s of a nearby i n s t i t u t i o n w i t h meager library facilities. I n q u i r i e s a m o n g colleagues at various universities suggest t h a t the exclusion of researchers, except those currently connected w i t h the uni- versity in question, f r o m free use of the library is becoming c o m m o n . T h i s is a serious s i t u a t i o n for scholar- ship. It is n o t u n u s u a l to have to consult m o r e t h a n one great library while work- ing on a p a r t i c u l a r project (the impor- tance of p r i m a r y sources, o f t e n in man- uscript form, does n o t e l i m i n a t e secon- dary sources f r o m the research proce- dure,) a n d there are m a n y eager college teachers simply u n a b l e to afford the fees now b e i n g charged by libraries. A n d t h e n there is the p r o b l e m of b e i n g un- able to b o r r o w f r o m a nearby university w i t h the library a d e q u a t e for some re- search activity. I t really is n o t a great consolation to k n o w t h a t o n e may bor- row t h r o u g h i n t e r l i b r a r y loan. T h i s is time-consuming a n d f r u s t r a t i n g , as works b o r r o w e d u n d e r this system m u s t sometimes go back a n d f o r t h between b o r r o w i n g a n d l e n d i n g libraries m o r e t h a n once b e f o r e their usefulness to the research project has been exhausted. It is impossible always to foresee the neces- sity for the reconsultation of previously r e a d items as o n e meets new problems p e r t a i n i n g to the subject. F u r t h e r m o r e , it is n o t u n c o m m o n to have to p o r e t h r o u g h work a f t e r work in search of a p a r t i c u l a r p o i n t . W i t h n o r m a l borrow- ing arrangements, the researcher could check t h r o u g h m a n y such works in a m i n i m u m of time instead of a m a x i m u m . Research goes slowly w h e n the research- er m u s t wait for several days a f t e r the day t h a t he has chosen items f r o m the library catalog before the i n t e r l i b r a r y loan gets t h e m to h i m . It is to be feared that, f r o m the u n d e r - g r a d u a t e years on, we t e n d to look u p o n libraries as owing us the r i g h t to borrow f r o m t h e m . W e forget t h a t we are g r a n t e d b o r r o w i n g privileges, even f r o m the university in which we are en- rolled. Later, w h e n we have h a d the priv- ilege of living in a c o m m u n i t y of schol- ars while at g r a d u a t e school, we t e n d to believe t h a t books will always be avail- able to us as they are in the great uni- versity. W e are w r o n g to forget t h a t these materials come i n t o o u r h a n d s solely as a privilege, b u t insofar as the idea of a c o m m u n i t y of scholars is valid, we are r i g h t to h o p e t h a t the tools of re- search will be p u t at o u r disposal w i t h a m i n i m u m of expense to us a n d with- o u t a n i n o r d i n a t e loss of time. A n d let there be n o q u a r r e l a b o u t terms here. W h o is to say how m a n y obscure re- searchers there are for every recognized scholar? It is easy for the latter, w h o sometimes needs only to cross the h a l l f r o m his office to get i n t o the stacks or even the rare book room, to say t h a t the materials exist, t h a t the researcher has only to prove t h a t he is a scholar a n d sooner or later he m u s t be invited to j o i n the faculty of the great university. N o t m a n y of o u r seniors in the teaching pro- fession a d o p t this a t t i t u d e . T h e m a j o r i t y recognize the validity of research in gen- eral a n d seek no m o n o p o l y . B u t m o n o p - oly there is. T h e circumstances enumer- ated above m a k e this inevitable. T h e writer of this article is particu- MARCH 1958 105- larly concerned w i t h a n i m p o r t a n t con- c o m i t a n t of this s i t u a t i o n . T h e r e is a g r o w i n g feeling a m o n g college teachers t h a t the l i b r a r i a n is the real villain in t h e story. N o t h i n g could be m o r e un- j u s t a n d m o r e d a n g e r o u s to us t h a n this a t t i t u d e . I personally a m in d e b t to li- b r a r i a n s b o t h in this country a n d a b r o a d . I have seen the great lengths to w h i c h the libraries of t h e University of L o n d o n , the British M u s e u m a n d the P u b l i c R e c o r d Office will go to be help- f u l . I n this country, l i b r a r i a n s have with- o u t fail been f r i e n d l y a n d cooperative. My own university d i d at least g r a n t me free privileges, given the brevity of my stay; the o t h e r great university, finding t h a t I h a d b e e n able to m a k e the t r i p b u t twice d u r i n g t h e period f o r w h i c h I p a i d ten dollars, gave me a n addi- tional six m o n t h s . T h e university t h a t has w i t h d r a w n b o r r o w i n g privileges f r o m its n e i g h b o r ' s faculty m e m b e r s al- lows t h e m to come i n t o the stacks any time a n d r e a d there. T h e s e are n o t iso- lated instances. L i b r a r i a n s are continu- ing to give the w o n d e r f u l c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h o u t w h i c h research is impossible. I t w o u l d be a real calamity if m e m b e r s of t h e teaching profession were to t h i n k otherwise. A n d yet this d a n g e r exists. T h e l i b r a r i a n ' s good will is b e i n g in- creasingly challenged by regulations t h a t are in r e s t r a i n t of research. T h e reason t h a t the d u t i f u l l i b r a r i a n e n f o r c i n g these regulations looms as a hostile agent is t h a t the necessity b e h i n d some of t h e m is n o t u n d e r s t o o d . For instance, rising costs have been p l e a d e d as the occasion f o r the charge for b o r r o w i n g a n d stack privileges. N o w if the researcher uses a large library, h e may use t h e elevator, a n d ink has to be consumed to s t a m p his stack-card a n d the books t h a t he with- draws. Also t h e r e will be some p a p e r work involved i n his withdrawals. Is t h e wear a n d tear o n t h e books a factor? W i t h o u t k n o w i n g the economic facts of library life, o n e finds it difficult to be convinced of t h e necessity of the charge f o r privileges, based o n the g r o u n d s stated. Is this just a n excuse to discour- age use of a library in which even gen- erous collections of books are u n d e r the strain of a f u l l d e m a n d ? Surely n o o n e w o u l d deny t h a t the library's p r i m e re- sponsibility is to t h e university which it serves. Outsiders m u s t come second to the faculty a n d s t u d e n t s of a p a r t i c u l a r i n s t i t u t i o n . P e r h a p s t h e charge ensures the l i m i t a t i o n to a m i n i m u m of the addi- tional strain on the library f r o m outside borrowers. W h a t of the library t h a t has with- d r a w n privileges altogether f r o m the faculties of n e i g h b o r i n g colleges? Surely this drastic step has b e e n the result of abuses. Is t h e r e a college teacher w h o has n o t k e p t books o u t for m o n t h s at a time? C a n o n e justify h a v i n g anywhere f r o m thirty to sixty books o u t f o r long peri- ods? T h e fact t h a t there may n o t be a call f o r such works does n o t decrease the p o t e n t i a l inconvenience to some univer- sity borrower, e n t i t l e d to priority. H a v e there been cases of m i s r e p r e s e n t a t i o n of o n e k i n d or another? W e borrowers k n o w t h a t these abuses have existed, a n d each o n e of us has p r o b a b l y been guilty in some way. However, we c a n n o t know the f u l l e x t e n t of the l i b r a r i a n ' s prob- lems. W e k n o w t h a t fees for privileges work a g e n u i n e h a r d s h i p o n m a n y of o u r col- leagues; we k n o w t h a t i n t e r l i b r a r y loan comprises a v a l u a b l e b u t l i m i t e d service; we feel t h a t research is m a d e to look like a l u x u r y reserved t o colleagues on the faculties of t h e great universities a n d to others w i t h a goodly a m o u n t of spare time a n d cash. T h i s seems to us a situa- tion i n c o m p a t i b l e w i t h t h e ideal of a world c o m m u n i t y of scholars. W h a t we d o n o t k n o w are the real reasons b e h i n d library policies. T h e con- t i n u i n g w h o l e h e a r t e d assistance of li- (Continued on page 164) 106 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES The Library and the Researcher (Continued, brarians suggests that the reasons are overwhelming. T h e writer entertains few hopes that the situation can be im- proved. What is fervently to be hoped is that the researcher understand why the librarian has been forced to put certain difficulties in his way. Without this un- m page 106) derstanding, a growing hostility is inev- itable between these two, whose coopera- tion is a sine qua non of successful re- search. It is a subject that ought to be aired. Some librarian can do us all a great service by presenting the facts of this matter from his point of view. Technological Progress (Continued from page 123) With the rapid change around us, it is no longer enough to train our library workers of tomorrow for today's jobs. Observed objectively, the best, most flex- ible library training possible would be a solid grounding in fundamentals, par- ticularly mathematics and sciences. Fun- damentally trained, the library school graduate may thus be able to take ad- vantage of the specialized jobs that de- velop. Inadequate preparation could mean shortage of personnel to man the machines providing the library service, even as it is today. T o d a y , there are pro- fessional routines so close to the clerical routines t h a t e v e n t h e inadequately trained professional may find placement because the supply is smaller than the demand. In automated libraries this might not be possible. Librarians are feeling the pinch today for top-caliber personnel. T h i s shortage, which will grow, soon will force addi- tional streamlining of procedures, short cuts in indexing, cataloging, and in- creased salaries. Personnel shortages will force the first automation. A n d before automation becomes a significant part of library procedures and routines, li- brarians and library schools must face up to the problems of preparing within their own ranks sufficient technically trained people able to perpetuate the advances made and to add others. It is very necessary that library schools be well aware of developments in the field of automation—where they can be applied, and where they may be im- proved. Most librarians, however, are unaware of the magnitude and complex- ity of the problem of switching from present-day libraries even to partially automated libraries. T h e significance of scientific advances, particularly in the field of electronics, requires re-emphasiz- ing and re-examination of the basic prin- ciples of librarianship from which the every day struggle for space, personnel, and money has distracted us. If librarians do not learn to extend their techniques and develop the new techniques required, other agencies, or new professions, will be created to do the job. If librarians restrict their activi- ties to fit within the present framework and structure of librarianship, they will fail in their obligations to society. 164 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES